Cross-Border Tragedy: Unveiling a Smuggling Network

A trial in Minnesota exposes a smuggling network from India to Canada, led by Harshkumar Patel and Steve Shand. The operation targeted Indian families, promising entry into the US, tragically resulting in the death of Jagdish Patel and his family during a dangerous winter crossing.

A trial set to begin Monday in Minnesota is shedding light on a cross-border smuggling network, allegedly orchestrated by Indian national Harshkumar Ramanlal Patel, 29, and Florida resident Steve Shand, 50. The duo is accused of facilitating the illegal entry of Indian families into the US, including one attempt that turned tragic.

Jagdish Patel, his wife, and two children were found dead in January 2022 near the US-Canada border, victims of the hazardous journey orchestrated by the network. The Patels, seeking a better life, succumbed to severe cold weather as they attempted an unauthorized crossing on foot.

Federal prosecutors allege that Patel and Shand organized the operation from India, obtaining Canadian student visas for clients and planning routes into the US through states like Minnesota. The network was part of a larger flow of illegal immigration, as highlighted by a Pew Research Center statistic showing over 725,000 undocumented Indians in the US by 2022.

(With inputs from agencies.)